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Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland History

History

The Arapaho National Forest was established by Theodore Roosevelt on July 1, 1908. It was named after the Native American tribe that occupied the region for summer hunting.

The Roosevelt National Forest, originally part of the Medicine Bow Forest Reserve, was first named the Colorado National Forest in 1910 and was renamed by President Herbert Hoover to honor President Theodore Roosevelt in 1932.

The Pawnee National Grassland was transferred to the Forest Service from the Soil Conservation Service in 1954. The Soil Conservation Service acquired this prairie during the dust bowl days of the 1930s and was charged with its rehabilitation. It was designated a national grassland in 1960.

About the Heritage Program

The mission of our Forest’s Heritage Program is multifaceted; providing a benefit not only to our natural resource managers but to the public. Their mission is to: